forum: Food & Drink

Pasta sauces

Every once in a while I find myself stuck in a rut making the same old pasta sauce over and over again: bolognese, a vongole, spicy tomato, creamy tomato with pancetta and peas. I'm sure others get in a rut and go into their old standbys so let's shake it up a bit and please share a recently pasta recipe you've made that woke your senses.

Last night I made a spicy sausage pasta! It started off with a pound of italian sauce and I browned it really well. I added lots of crushed red chilis and a tbsp of crushed fennel seed and 3 minced garlic cloves. Then I added some tomato paste and 3 ladles of homemade tomato sauce (crushed tomato, onion, garlic, olive oil). I finished it off with a bit of heavy cream and lots of parmesan and tossed it with gemelli. It was spicy and awesome!

Re: Pasta sauces

Re: Pasta sauces

I am similarly unadventurous - indeed, even more so. It's either cheese sauce, bolognese or some kind of tomato and vegetable sauce invented on the spot.

I have a lovely book called something like "the best one hundred pasta sauces" which has a load of Italian pasta recipes, often based very simply on veg. I keep meaning to try them but haven't got round to it yet. Sorry! I did try a sort of cream and sausage sauce, but it didn't make my skirt fly up all that much.

Surely someone here has voyaged into the realms of pasta adventure? I know there are even Italians on this forum. Any suggestions of good recipes for nervous pasta newbies?

Re: Pasta sauces

hippytea have you ever had a simple oil/garlic pasta? It's supposed to be really hard to make but it's really kind of easy. Boil up noodles. In the meantime warm up some olive oil in a skillet and slow cook some sliced garlic, low heat and just wait until the garlic turns brown. Add a bit of chili flakes too. Remove the garlic and leave to the side. Toss in your noodles along with a bit of the pasta water, fresh parsley, and lots of parmesan. Sprinkle the crispy garlic slices on top.

Re: Pasta sauces

mmm that is a very good sauce.. a variation on that is bagna cauda.. with just the addition of a bit of butter and anchovy fillets. that was my Fathers favourite good friday meal. spaghettini with bagna cauda. the anchovy fillets do this magic thing where they just melt out into the oil.. traditional would be not to use parm but that is purely personal.. it is good with it although it can be a bit salty if you have agressively salted the pasta water.

Re: Pasta sauces

I do an oil with garlic a bit differently as I don't let the garlic brown or strain it out. It's a while since I made it . I just fine chop garlic and add it to olive oil heating it gently to take the rawness from the garlic and cook it through. I add it over the cooked spaghetti whilst it is still hot and stir it in with fresh chopped parsley . Sometimes a sprinkle of parmasan over the top for me but my darling leaves if off this . (I don't usually add chilli but can see it would work well . )Nice summer lunch.

Re: Pasta sauces

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